


Mirror

by littledragon94



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-31
Updated: 2015-07-31
Packaged: 2018-04-12 06:25:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4468661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littledragon94/pseuds/littledragon94
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Regulus Black thought he knew who he was." For the "One Hour, Two Drabbles" challenge 2013, along with "Pretend".</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mirror

Regulus Black thought he knew who he was.

He had always been proud to call himself a Black. His brother had admitted it grudgingly.

He had made his intentions to join the Death Eaters clear at school. His brother had moved out shortly after, declaring that he would have no more to do with a family that raised self-righteous murderers and sadists.

Regulus had watched as their mother blasted Sirius’ name from the Black family tree.

Sirius joined the Order of the Phoenix, and, after leaving school, Regulus had joined the Death Eaters.

In the beginning it was all that he wanted: the feeling of power, the freedom to lash out without even the possibility of punishment, to be among people who acknowledged and respected his blood status.

But then the war got uncomfortably real.

The Ministry passed a law allowing Aurors to use Unforgivable Curses with impunity and suddenly there were ever more Death Eaters in Azkaban.

The Dark Lord himself asked for Regulus’ assistance, and Regulus had, of course, offered everything.

And then Kreacher had returned, simply because Master Regulus had told him to.

Regulus gripped the heavy locket in his fist, the chain wrapped painfully around his white knuckles. He forced himself to look into the mirror, to meet his reflection’s eye.

He was no longer sure who was looking back.

Regulus Arcturus Black. It may have been his name, but it was no longer him. He no longer felt the pleasure and superiority that his name had once inspired. Now he felt regret at his actions, and dread at what was to come.

He glanced at the Black tapestry beside the mirror.

The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.

Ancient, yes. There was no denying the lineage of the Blacks. But noble? Regulus was beginning to doubt the nobility of their ideals. Maybe Sirius was right. Maybe they were a bunch of self-righteous murderers and sadists. After all, there was Regulus – a Death Eater, for now. Cousin Bellatrix, one of the Dark Lord’s most faithful servants. Cousin Narcissa, now the wife of Lucius Malfoy, also a Death Eater. Not to mention all the off-shoots of the Black family. The Crabbes, the Yaxleys, the Rosiers, the Bulstrodes, the Burkes, the Lestranges. Death Eaters the lot of them.

Regulus looked down at the locket and he knew who he was.

He wasn’t a hero, or at least he wouldn’t be alive to be called one.

He was an idealist, though his ideals had drastically changed since even a few days ago.

Above all, he was Master Regulus.

And he was hopeful that someday his actions would help to bring about the downfall of the Dark Lord.

 


End file.
